He ran to the water
and seated himself in a little boat that lay there; it was painted red
and white, and the sails gleamed with silver. Six swans, wearing
golden circlets around their necks and twinkling blue stars on their
heads, drew the boat.
Gorgeous fishes, with scales of silver and gold, swam after the boat,
sometimes springing high into the air and falling back with a splash
into the water. They wanted all to follow Hjalmar, and each one had a
story to tell.
It was really a beautiful voyage. At one time the forests were thick
and dark, at another they looked like a glorious garden full of
sunlight and flowers. There were great palaces of glass and marble; on
the balconies stood Princesses, and they were all little girls whom
Hjalmar knew well--he had played with them before. Each one stretched
forth her hand, and held out the prettiest sugar pig that a cake-woman
could sell. Hjalmar took hold of one end of the sugar pig as he passed
by, but the Princess also held fast, so that each of them got a
piece--she the smaller part, and Hjalmar the larger.
Before each palace stood little Princes as sentries. They presented
arms with golden swords, and then it rained raisins and tin soldiers;
they were real Princes. At one moment Hjalmar was sailing through
forests, at another through great halls, or straight through the
middle of a town.
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